NHTSA Complaint #10070604 — 1995 FORD TAURUS

A/C: COMPRESSOR CLUTCH CAME APART EXHAUST: DUE TO HEAT AND CORROSION CAT CONVERTER FLANGE BECAME SO THIN IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEAL EXHAUST. ACT CONVERTER REPLACED UNDER 8/80 EMMISSIONS WARRANTY. PAINT: CRACKS IN PAINT DEVELOPED ABOVE REAR WHEEL (SHEET METAL FLEXING?) ALLOWING MOISTURE IN CAUSING CORROSION AND PAINT TO LIFT. FRONT SPRINGS: BOTH FRONT SPRINGS BROKE NEARLY PUNCTURING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. NO HELP FROM FORD. SEEMS THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF BAD SPRING PROBLEMS. 93 TAURUS RECALL #98V-094, WINDSTAR RECALL 01V-199, CONTOUR RECALL 01V-255. THEY HAVE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON FRONT SPRINGS FOR THE 2000 FORD FOCUS FOR 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. DEALER BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION WHILE IN FOR A/C REPAIR. HAD THE SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPIC. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE OTHER THAN TO SAY IF THERE WAS A FUTURE RECALL OR SATISFACTION PROGRAM I WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSMENT. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS RELATIVLY INEXPENSIVE. IT'S THE FACT THAT THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM AND ARE UNWILLING TO ADDRESS IT THAT BOTHERS ME. SPRINGS ARE NOT A MAINTANCE ITEM. I HAVE SEEN THEM LOSE TENSION AND SAG ON OLDER HIGH MILEAGE CARS, BUT NOT BRAKE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.